MANILA, Philippines - Hapee primes up for a second straight championship as it headlines the 10-team field in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup which fires off Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
The Fresh Fighters swept the Cagayan Valley Rising Suns in the finals, capped by a thrilling overtime win in Game Two, to capture the Aspirants Cup last February. But while Hapee remains upbeat of its chances for a repeat, Cagayan Valley is out for a payback while the likes of Letran-MP Hotel, San Sebastian-Liver Marin, CEU-Café France, AMA University, KeriMix, Cebuana Lhuillier, Tanduay Rhum Master and Jumbo Plastic Linoleum have toughened up to contend for the crown.
Meanwhile, the Asian Television Content, in partnership with the PBA and media partner The Philippine STAR, has organized a wave-and-greet motorcade, also on Thursday, to drum up interest for the Foundation Cup, which has lined up a total of 60 matches for the next three months.
The motorcade, which will start at 8 a.m. from Ynares to Ortigas Center, is backed by Pasig Mayor Maria Belen Andaya Eusebio and Victor Buencamino, general manager of OCAI, along with Racal Motors, under the leadership of chairman Jonito Catan Racal, and KeriMix Mixers team manager Nick Caparida, who recently signed a sponsorship with the ATC/PBA D-League.